Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank Ms Dmytriieva, Ms Kelly, Mr. Mason, Mr. Harris and Dr. McDonagh very much for their evidence and for going through our questions. What really challenges us in times of crisis, which the war is, is the humanitarian side of it and the most vulnerable being forgotten. That was a challenge during the pandemic as well in terms of services. There is a real challenge for the world in how we face conflict, however. Look at what has happened in Ukraine with the human cost of the carnage that has taken place and the people who have come to this country for shelter on humanitarian grounds. We must be mindful of those who are more compromised, such as people with disabilities and their families, and try to reach out to them as well.

Something needs to be done on an international scale. The UNCRPD is a fine document but it must also bear in mind that we must protect the most vulnerable in all these situations. That is something on which we need to bring a greater spotlight.

I thank the witnesses for their evidence and for being with us this morning. If at any point they think we should follow up on other issues within the committee, they should please feel free to contact us at any time. Their experience from an advocacy and lived experience point of view is hugely important for us to make informed decisions as we try to advance making the lives of people with disabilities, their families and their communities better. That is our challenge. I thank our members for their questions and in-depth knowledge of the issues at this stage. I thank our background team very much for keeping the show on the road.